PUCO reminds Ohioans that heating assistance is available

COLUMBUS (Jan. 25, 2018) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) wants to remind Ohioans that assistance is available for those that have been disconnected or are threatened with disconnection from their heating source.

The Winter Reconnect Order allows residential customers the opportunity to have their service restored or maintained by paying the amount due or $175, whichever is less. If the customer’s service has already been disconnected, the customer must pay the $175 and any applicable reconnection charge not to exceed an up front payment of $36. If the company’s reconnection charge is greater than $36, the balance may be billed to the customer the following month. Customers may use the program once during the winter heating season between Oct. 16, 2017 and April 13, 2018.

There is no income eligibility requirement or sign-up required for the Winter Reconnect Order.

Several other state and federal programs are available to assist those who qualify. The PUCO encourages customers to explore all options including PIPP Plus, HEAP and the Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP). More information about these programs and additional ways to save on home heating bills this winter are available at Ohio’s Winter Heating Resource website www.winterheat.ohio.gov. Visitors to this site will also find information about budget billing, energy choice and energy conservation.

For more information about enrollment in the Winter Reconnect Order, payment plans or budget billing, customers should contact their electric or natural gas utility. Customers who have utility-related questions can call the PUCO’s Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) or visit www.PUCO.ohio.gov

PowerForward: Ratemaking and Regulation begins March 6

National and state energy leaders will convene in Columbus, Ohio March 6-8, and March 20-22 to discuss the electric distribution system of the future and how state policy can facilitate grid enhancements that work to better customers’ lives.

The agenda for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s (PUCO) PowerForward: Ratemaking and Regulation event is now available.

Leaders from ENGIE Resources, Oracle Utilities and the Edison Electric Institute, along more than 70 additional speakers will kick and continue all day through March 8. PowerForward will break for a week and reconvene for another three days March 20-22.

PowerForward takes place at the PUCO’s offices at 180 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio. The event is free to attend and there is no registration required. PowerForward will also broadcast live online by The Ohio Channel.

To learn more about the PUCO’s PowerFoward visit the PUCO website.

PUCO accepts results of FirstEnergy auction

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) accepted the results of FirstEnergy’s wholesale auction that will ultimately determine its standard service offer through May 2021.

The auction, held on Jan. 29, 2018 secured both two and three-year products to supply electricity to FirstEnergy’s Ohio utility customers.

The two-year product auction resulted in four winning bidders and an average clearing price of $49.31 per megawatt hour (MWh) for the delivery period of June 2018 through May 2020.

The three-year product auction resulted in four winning bidders and an average clearing price of $49.35 per MWh for the delivery period of June 2018 through May 2021.

The results will be blended with previous and future auctions to establish a price-to-compare for FirstEnergy’s Ohio customers during the delivery period.

CRA International served as the independent auction manager, and Bates White Economic Consulting, a consultant retained by the PUCO, monitored the auction process. The names of the winning bidders will remain confidential for 21 days.

Customers continue to have the opportunity to consider competitive options to meet their electricity needs, including shopping for an alternate supplier or joining a local government aggregation group. More information about how to choose a supplier is available at [www.energychoice.ohio.gov]www.energychoice.ohio.gov. The PUCO’s Apples to Apples comparison charts provide customers with a snapshot comparison of current electric supplier offers and contract terms. The charts are updated daily.

A copy of the Commission finding and order and redacted version of the report issued by the auction manager are available at www.PUCO.ohio.gov. Click on the link to Docketing Information System and enter the case number 16-776-EL-UNC.

Indiana & Ohio Railway to upgrade Ohio crossings

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved several grade crossing improvement projects that the Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY) will carry out in Fairfield and Fayette counties.

IORY will install lights and gates at the Quarry Road crossing in Lancaster, Fairfield County, and at the Pearl Street crossing in Washington Court House, Fayette County, according to a PUCO press release.

Both projects are to be completed by Aug. 29, 2018. Federal funding for the projects is provided through the Ohio Rail Development Commission.

Local governments may seek funding from the PUCO to help cover the cost of safety improvements. The safety improvements may include rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other enhancements at the project locations.

PUCO is responsible for evaluating Ohio’s public crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) accepted the results of Dominion Energy Ohio’s auction for its standard service offer (SSO) and standard choice offer (SCO). The auction secured natural gas supplies for Dominion’s SSO/SCO customers for the period April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019. The auction resulted in an adjustment of $0.07 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) added to the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) month-end settlement price.

Dominion’s SSO/SCO rate changes monthly and will be calculated as the NYMEX month-end settlement price. The price adjustment reflects the winning bidders’ estimate of their cost to deliver natural gas from the production area to Dominion’s service area.

The SCO applies to Dominion’s choice-eligible customers that have not selected an alternative supplier. Choice-eligible customers will continue to have the option to enroll with an energy choice supplier of their choosing, join a government aggregation group or choose the SCO. Customers who are interested in choosing an energy choice supplier can compare rate offers using the PUCO’s Energy Choice Ohio Apples to Apples comparison charts.

Each SCO customer’s bill will indicate the certified retail natural gas supplier that is responsible for providing the customer’s natural gas. Customers who are already enrolled with an alternative supplier or a government aggregation group will not be affected by the change in the SCO rate; their contracts will remain the same. Customers who are enrolled in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus or who are otherwise ineligible to participate in energy choice are served at the SSO rate, which is identical to the SCO rate. Dominion will continue to deliver natural gas to all customers, offer payment plans and respond to all emergency and customer service calls.

On Feb. 6, 2018, a descending clock auction was held for the SSO/SCO rate. Bids were submitted by ten natural gas suppliers based on fixed adjustments to the NYMEX settlement price. The names of the four winning bidders will remain confidential for 15 days to protect the suppliers’ positions in contract negotiations with pipeline companies.

A copy of the Commission entry is available at www.PUCO.ohio.gov. Click on the link to the Docketing Information System and enter case number 07-1224-GA-EXM, 11-6076-GA-EXM or 12-1842-GA-EXM.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices. Consumers with utility-related questions or concerns can call the PUCO Call Center at (800) 686-PUCO (7826) and speak with a representative.